In this session, Master Chef Casey Thompson will teach you how to cook amazing, healthy meals on a BUDGET by stocking your pantry with the specific items she uses in this live, interactive experience. Talk with Casey to learn how you can add variety, spice, balance, and nourishment to your diet with these simple, effective meals and a little bit of creative preparation.

Food has played a momentous role in my life starting when I was much younger. Coming from two very different families, one influenced from the south and the second from a heavily influenced French cuisine. I found cooking to be my calling. My start began as a prep cook at the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas where I spent my hours peeling potatoes, killing lobster and tying corn husk bows. This was necessary to achieve the goals I had set in front of me. Soon I would be setting up a hot appetizer station as well as my pantry station and then one after another, station by station I eventually achieved sous chef under the Southwest Legend, Dean Fearing.
After several years I began as an executive chef at Shinsei in Dallas. It was a pan asian/open concept sushi bar. It was then that I was approached by Top Chef for Season 3. After competing on the show and achieving great success as a finalist and fan favorite, I moved to San Francisco to continue my education in food and wine. I spent 3 years working for various wineries pairing wines with foods selected from local farms. I learned a tremendous amount and became the US Ambassador for Terrazas de los Andes, a Moet-Hennessey brand. In all of my travels my basics have stayed the same.
Food: Seasonally Influenced American, focusing on sustainable proteins while utilizing fresh, organic, and local produce.
Color: Kelly Green because green reminds me of grass, vegetables, and life.
Inspiration: That the lives of today should use our resources to meet todays demands and preserve our environment so that tomorrows generations can meet their needs.
Salad Dressing: Ranch it reminds me of Texas and it contains mayonnaise. It is the glue that holds us together. And who doesnt like herbs and mayonnaise together?